There are four levels of care provided by hospices in the United States. Every patient receiving hospice services will be on one of these four levels. A hospice patient can move from one level to another and back, depending on the services required to fulfill his or her needs. The need of the patient will determine their individual level of care.
Routine Home Care Patient at home with symptoms controlled A patient will be placed at this level of care if he or she resides at home (or a long-term care facility) and does not have symptoms which are out of control. These symptoms could include—but aren’t limited to—severe pain, continuous nausea and vomiting, bleeding, acute respiratory distress, and unbearable restlessness or agitation. A patient at this level has access to the following services: Registered Nurse Visits Social Worker Visits Chaplain Visits Home Health Aide Services Counselors Medications Equipment The needs of the patient determine the number of visits from hospice staff members. These needs are established and outlined in a plan of care formed by the hospice team and the patient’s physician. The care plan serves as a guideline to assist all those serving the patient with care. At this level of care the patient also has access to an on-call hospice nurse twenty-four hours a day.
Inpatient Care Patient in facility with uncontrolled symptoms A hospice patient may require inpatient care when his or her symptoms have gotten out of hand a...Click here to read more from Gilbert Guide